The 54th Southampton International Boat Show kicked off a ten-day run with adventurous jet skier, Jack Moule, who opened the show in style
Published: September 18, 2023 | Updated: 15th September 2023
Britain’s biggest boating festival opens with Jack the Jet Ski stuntman
Friday saw the return of Southampton International Boat Show, Britain’s biggest boat show, for it’s 54th year.
Kicking off the week was jet ski stuntman Jack Moule, performing a series of jumps and somersaults as red, blue smoke filled the air from flares.
Opening day visitors had a number of attractions and zones to pick from, including Watersports, Dinghy, Classic & Day Boats, alongside the On the Water Zone and the brand-new Beach Haven & Watersports Lake.
Newbies and seasoned pros also took to the water in their droves to enjoy stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking and dinghy sailing, yachting, motorboating and RIB rides, giving them the chance to soak up the atmosphere and sample life on the water.
CEO of British Marine, Lesley Robinson says: “As we open the doors on our 54th show, we are pleased to see such a big turnout and we are excited to welcome over 100,000 visitors over the next 10 days.
“Our aim is to really showcase the marine industry and all it has to offer and seek to get over 15,000 people out on the water and give it a go, regardless of age and ability.”
“We have an incredibly exciting line up of attractions, events and guests at this year’s show, including Captain Sandy, star of the TV show Below Deck Mediterranean, who will be joining us on the Foredeck stage and signing copies of her book, the new Beach Haven & Watersports Lake, with Southampton city centre’s only sandy beach and watersports lake to try canoeing, paddleboarding, model boating and even SUP yoga.
“We have the new Shipyard with live music and DJ sets including headliners Judge Jules and Cuban Brothers, bringing the festival vibe to the show, flypasts from the Red Arrows, Spitfire and Hurricane, plus, the opportunity to WIN a RIBEYE A600 for just £5, just to mention a few”
Among the attractions at this year’s show are:
Tickets are available to purchase from the Show website: southamptonboatshow.com
Adult tickets are on sale now from £26 with up to 2 children aged 15 and under are permitted free entry to the show with every paying adult.
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Mermaid distillers launch new T-Shirts ahead of World’s Toughest Row

The Isle of Wight Distillery, producers of the Mermaid range of spirits, has launched a new range of T-Shirts.
The shirts have been designed as part of the Mermaid Atlantic campaign, which will see distillery Co-Founder Xavier Baker and two teammates rowing the across the Atlantic this December, with money raised going to three UK marine charities: The Seahorse Trust, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and Surfers Against Sewage.
The T-Shirts are made from organic cotton and feature the Mermaid Atlantic logo on the front and back with island sponsor Rapanui also featured on the front of the T-Shirts.
They are produced on the Isle of Wight by Rapanui using renewable energy and crafted from sustainably sourced materials, in keeping with the distillery’s sustainability ethos.
Available in four different sizes and priced at £20 per T-Shirt, the Mermaid Atlantic apparel can be purchased online from www.isleofwightdistillery.com.
In July, Xavier spoke to Hampshire Biz News about his career to date and upcoming world’s toughest row – read more here.
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Three category wins for Trethowans in The Legal 500 Future Lawyers student guide

Trethowans has ranked highly once again in The Legal 500 Future Lawyers 2022/23 student guide, winning three categories for ‘Job Satisfaction’, ‘Work/Life Balance’ and ‘Living up to Expectations’, and scoring highly for ‘Approachability’, ‘Work quality’, ‘Client Contact’ and ‘Inclusiveness’.
The awards mean that Trethowans are ranked amongst the top legal firms in the country for training contracts.
Kate Ellis, Head of People & Culture at Trethowans, said: “We’re pleased to once again receive recognition in the Future Lawyers survey, which gives a great insight into training contracts at law firms across the UK.
“At Trethowans, we actively seek out some of the best talent with the goal of offering a positive and inclusive working environment, so we are proud to be recognised in the different categories”.
The Legal 500 Future Lawyers is the student guide to the top UK law firms. It asks current trainees to rate their firm in twelve different categories and awards the highest scoring firms.
Trethowans has also recently been listed in The Times Best Law Firms 2023 the 100 Great Places to Work 2023.